Feminist Principles of the Internet - Internet Rights and Human RightsRajat Kumar
The existing discourse around gender and the internet tends to focus on gender components lacking in polices that govern the internet, violations that take place as a result, and the need for increased women’s participation in decision-making forums.
These are designed to be an evolving discourse that informs our work on gender and technology, as well as influences our policy-making discussions when it comes to internet governance.
Civic tech for housing and urban development in Johannesburg: what works? Wha...mysociety
This was presented by Maya Indira Ganesh from the Tactical
Technology Collective at the Impacts of Civic Technology Conference (TICTeC2016) in Barcelona on 27th April. You can find out more information about the conference here: https://www.mysociety.org/research/tictec-2016/
Mobile phone usage is very prevalent among Indian youth, with over 400 million subscriptions. Younger Indians, over half of the population under 35, are at the forefront of this mobile revolution. This study investigated how Indian youth use mobile phones and how gender and socio-cultural environment impact usage. Findings showed that youth use mobile phones for communication, information, entertainment, identity expression, and relationship negotiation. However, some usages such as eve-teasing and public pornography viewing were seen as socially inappropriate.
Virtual Kidnapping is next adaptation in kidnapping industry. When everything is going virtual then why not kidnapping? About the recent virtual kidnapping incidents from Australia of Chinese students.
The document discusses human trafficking in India. It states that Delhi is a major hub for human trafficking in India, with young girls being trafficked for domestic work, forced marriage, and prostitution. It provides statistics on the number of reported human trafficking cases in various Indian states. The causes of human trafficking discussed include poverty, social practices like child marriage, demand for cheap labor, migration, and sex tourism. The consequences for victims include physical and psychological abuse, diseases, and difficulty reintegrating into society. The document also outlines India's legal framework around trafficking, including laws prohibiting exploitation and child labor.
This document summarizes a study on how South African newspapers frame mobile phone use in development reporting. The study examined 6 articles using content analysis software, Wordle word clouds, and qualitative textual analysis. Key findings were that newspapers primarily framed mobile phone use in terms of mobile banking, industry, and using phones to address health issues like HIV. The analysis also found evidence that Western influences of cultural imperialism shaped some of the framing of development stories around mobile technology use. The researcher concludes by discussing implications of the findings and proposing ideas for future related research.
The document discusses making cities safer for women. It outlines several problems women face in cities, including a lack of safe infrastructure, social attitudes that normalize harassment, and inadequate legal protections and law enforcement responses. To address these issues, the document argues that urban planning needs to consider women's safety needs and that cities require supporting safety systems like adequate lighting, accessible public spaces and transportation, and legal reforms. A comprehensive strategy is needed to understand local safety problems, engage stakeholders, implement interventions, and conduct long-term monitoring and evaluation to promote women's safety in cities.
East of Eden - online life beyond the Great FirewallMiles Metcalfe
This document provides an overview of internet regulation and censorship in China. It discusses how the Chinese government controls and monitors the internet through mechanisms like the Great Firewall and by requiring service providers to comply with censorship directives. It also notes that censorship aims to control media, prohibit mass organization, protect senior leaders from scrutiny, and protect domestic markets. The document then gives examples of some major Chinese internet companies and platforms and provides sources for further information.
Feminist Principles of the Internet - Internet Rights and Human RightsRajat Kumar
The existing discourse around gender and the internet tends to focus on gender components lacking in polices that govern the internet, violations that take place as a result, and the need for increased women’s participation in decision-making forums.
These are designed to be an evolving discourse that informs our work on gender and technology, as well as influences our policy-making discussions when it comes to internet governance.
Civic tech for housing and urban development in Johannesburg: what works? Wha...mysociety
This was presented by Maya Indira Ganesh from the Tactical
Technology Collective at the Impacts of Civic Technology Conference (TICTeC2016) in Barcelona on 27th April. You can find out more information about the conference here: https://www.mysociety.org/research/tictec-2016/
Mobile phone usage is very prevalent among Indian youth, with over 400 million subscriptions. Younger Indians, over half of the population under 35, are at the forefront of this mobile revolution. This study investigated how Indian youth use mobile phones and how gender and socio-cultural environment impact usage. Findings showed that youth use mobile phones for communication, information, entertainment, identity expression, and relationship negotiation. However, some usages such as eve-teasing and public pornography viewing were seen as socially inappropriate.
Virtual Kidnapping is next adaptation in kidnapping industry. When everything is going virtual then why not kidnapping? About the recent virtual kidnapping incidents from Australia of Chinese students.
The document discusses human trafficking in India. It states that Delhi is a major hub for human trafficking in India, with young girls being trafficked for domestic work, forced marriage, and prostitution. It provides statistics on the number of reported human trafficking cases in various Indian states. The causes of human trafficking discussed include poverty, social practices like child marriage, demand for cheap labor, migration, and sex tourism. The consequences for victims include physical and psychological abuse, diseases, and difficulty reintegrating into society. The document also outlines India's legal framework around trafficking, including laws prohibiting exploitation and child labor.
This document summarizes a study on how South African newspapers frame mobile phone use in development reporting. The study examined 6 articles using content analysis software, Wordle word clouds, and qualitative textual analysis. Key findings were that newspapers primarily framed mobile phone use in terms of mobile banking, industry, and using phones to address health issues like HIV. The analysis also found evidence that Western influences of cultural imperialism shaped some of the framing of development stories around mobile technology use. The researcher concludes by discussing implications of the findings and proposing ideas for future related research.
The document discusses making cities safer for women. It outlines several problems women face in cities, including a lack of safe infrastructure, social attitudes that normalize harassment, and inadequate legal protections and law enforcement responses. To address these issues, the document argues that urban planning needs to consider women's safety needs and that cities require supporting safety systems like adequate lighting, accessible public spaces and transportation, and legal reforms. A comprehensive strategy is needed to understand local safety problems, engage stakeholders, implement interventions, and conduct long-term monitoring and evaluation to promote women's safety in cities.
East of Eden - online life beyond the Great FirewallMiles Metcalfe
This document provides an overview of internet regulation and censorship in China. It discusses how the Chinese government controls and monitors the internet through mechanisms like the Great Firewall and by requiring service providers to comply with censorship directives. It also notes that censorship aims to control media, prohibit mass organization, protect senior leaders from scrutiny, and protect domestic markets. The document then gives examples of some major Chinese internet companies and platforms and provides sources for further information.
Fighting Female Genital Mutilation with MapsJanet Chapman
Presentation for Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Webinar by Microgrant recipients on Gender in Mapping in Tanzania on how we are fighting FGM and empowering female mappers in rural Tanzania.
Rapid developments in mobile technology have increased access to the internet through mobile devices. This document discusses how mobile phone usage has increased in Asia, with cell phone penetration outpacing computer ownership. It also explores how culture influences how mobile media is perceived and used, such as frequent texting in the Philippines to stay socially connected, and less phone calls in Japan. The implications of increased mobile access include greater participatory journalism, economic growth through new mobile services, and a shift to cultural production.
Rapid developments in mobile technology have increased access to the internet through mobile devices. This document discusses how mobile phone usage has increased in Asia, with cell phone penetration outpacing computer ownership. It explores the implications of increased mobile access, including a rise in participatory journalism, economic growth through new mobile services, and a shift to cultural production. The role of culture in shaping mobile media use is also examined, with different patterns of texting, calling and app usage emerging across regions.
Child Soldiers in the DRC and the phone in your pocket...Mr Halligan
The document discusses the use of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil war since 1998 over control of valuable resources like minerals used in electronics. The armed groups that use child soldiers make money by controlling mines or taxing miners. The high demand for tantalum used in electronics contributes to the use of child soldiers, as more children are forced to take over territory and collect payments to supply the mines. An estimated 30,000 child soldiers, some as young as 9, including 1/3 girls, are used in the conflict. The Enough Project works to end child labor and soldiers in Congo through social media campaigns to educate and put pressure on companies to stop sourcing "conflict minerals" that fund armed groups.
This document summarizes a presentation about research on LGBT youth of color and their use of mobile technology. It discusses two studies, one quantitative and one qualitative, with LGBT youth in NYC. The key findings are:
1) For LGBT homeless youth, mobile technology provides economic and social benefits like applying for jobs, staying connected to friends and family, and accessing mental health support through music and communication.
2) LGBT youth, especially homeless youth, use mobile technology to avoid police harassment and misconduct by resisting contact with police or reporting issues.
3) Researchers suggest concepts like the "digital divide" are outdated and mobile technology has become integrated into everyday life and a basic human right, especially regarding health access and interventions.
This document provides an overview of human trafficking in Japan, including:
1) Historical and cultural factors that contributed to the development of the sex industry.
2) The current trafficking situation in Japan, where victims are primarily women from East and Southeast Asia exploited sexually or migrant workers exploited for labor.
3) International criticism of Japan's response to trafficking, with the country still ranked as Tier 2 by the US State Department for failing to meet anti-trafficking standards.
This document summarizes Rhacel Salazar Parreñas' book "Illicit Flirtations: Labor, Migration and Sex Trafficking in Tokyo". The book is based on ethnographic research in a Tokyo hostess club, where the author observed 56 Filipina hostesses, including 45 women and 11 transgender individuals. It documents their experiences as labor migrants and challenges the understanding of human trafficking by arguing that while the hostesses face severe structural constraints, they are not trafficked but legal migrant workers susceptible to trafficking. The book provides a nuanced examination of how the hostesses navigate strict regulations and norms within the club system through "indentured mobility", occupying a middle zone between trafficking and labor migration. It also explores
The document discusses migration trends, human trafficking, and responses to irregular migration. It notes that Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, and Ethiopia host the most refugees globally. In 2015, over 1.2 million asylum claims were made in the EU, more than double 2014 levels. The document also examines cases of Nigerian women trafficked to Italy for sexual exploitation and Egyptian unaccompanied children migrating irregularly. It proposes that counter-trafficking be integrated into emergency response from the outset and considers life-saving protection for vulnerable populations in crisis situations.
Addressing gender violence in traditional rural communitieslizc38
This document discusses a proposed citizen engagement project to address gender violence in traditional rural communities in South Africa. These communities have little to no infrastructure, services, or access to help for victims of gender violence. The project would use participatory community dialogues and training over 6-12 months to raise awareness of gender violence issues and empower community members and leaders to better respond to incidents of abuse through established traditional justice systems and by linking with outside service providers. While most ICTs are not applicable, radio would be used to advertise events and interviews. The project aims to design an approach that respects local context and systems to effectively tackle the serious problem of underreported gender violence in these isolated rural areas.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVEY RESULTS ULINK (1) (1).PDFSabelo Elkah
This document summarizes the results of a human trafficking awareness survey conducted in South Africa. Key findings include:
- While most respondents correctly identified South Africa as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking, many believed it is mainly a transit country.
- Respondents were unaware that most trafficking victims in South Africa are South African citizens.
- They believed trafficking was more likely for rituals/organ removal rather than forced labor.
The survey highlights gaps in public understanding of who is vulnerable to trafficking and what forms it takes. It also includes personal stories from students to educate others about the realities of human trafficking.
On 20th May 2016 UNU-CS hosted an event on Migrant Technologies: (re)producing (un)freedoms in Macau.
The one-day event brought together scholars, practitioners and activists to share learning and exchange ideas on the range of migrant technologies research being conducted across Asia and explore future collaborative approaches.
The key theme addressed at the event was how the use of mobile technologies adds layers of freedoms and unfreedoms to migration.
Speakers of the day include:
Introduction and Welcome: Michael Best, Director of UNU-CS
Opening Remarks: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
Morning Panel: Emerging themes in Migrant Technology research
- Chair: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
- Jack Qiu, Chinese University of Hong Kong - Freedom, Slavery, and Working-Class ICTs: Learning from Chinese Migrant Workers in Foxconn
- Nikos Dacanay, Chiang Mai University - ICT usage and how ethnic migrant women in northern Thailand indigenize/mediate human rights’ discourse of gender equality
- Odalia Wong, Baptist University of Hong Kong - Transnational Mothers and Mobile Phone Usage: The Case of the Filipino Female Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
- Discussant: Rhodora A. Abano, Centre for Migrant Advocacy in Philippines
Afternoon Panel: New Migrant Technologies
- Chair: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
- Kayoko Ueno, University of Tokushima - Facebook Activism and Networking among Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore
- Jude Yew, National University of Singapore - Pemca: A proposed mobile platform for crowdsourcing the reporting and visualization of migrant worker injuries/deaths
- Kakit Cheong, National University of Singapore - Kwento: Designing a family storytelling mobile application for domestic helpers
- Discussant: Fish Ip, International Domestic Workers Federation
The document provides an overview of the organization Invisible Children and their efforts to help children affected by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) conflict in northern Uganda. It discusses how the LRA abducted children and forced them to become child soldiers, and the human rights abuses this caused. Invisible Children aims to create safe schools for these children and raise awareness about their plight through videos, bracelet campaigns, and educational presentations.
GogginInventingMobileCommunications20April2015ANUMelanesiaWorkshopUniversity of Sydney
"Inventing Mobile Communication: From Nordic Countries + East Asia to Melanesia" - talk for Sarah Logan’s "ICTs in Melanesia Research Workshop" Australian National University, 20-21 April, 2015
The document discusses self-presentation and impression management online. It establishes that an individual's online identity is made up of their interactions across different websites and social media platforms, which can show partial and different representations of themselves. The document also notes that as of 2021, over 4 billion people access the internet via mobile devices worldwide and Filipinos in particular spend around 4 hours per day on social media. It discusses strategies for self-presentation like ingratiation, exemplification, and intimidation aimed at managing how others perceive them. The document also touches on issues like online disinhibition and its risks, as well as tips for managing one's online behavior and interactions.
The document summarizes the findings of a survey on the situation of youth and children in Kibera, Kenya. It finds that the majority of respondents were young adults between 19-25 years old, with 20% between 15-18 years old. Most youth have lived in Kibera for many years, with 40% born there and 18% living there for over 10 years. The survey aims to describe living conditions for youth, compare findings to a previous 2001 survey, and provide context for a project analyzing child advocacy in Kenya. It finds that youth in Kibera face challenges like unemployment, poor housing, high crime rates, and inadequate education facilities.
Social networks, dreams and risks: Ethiopian irregular migrants into South Af...Migrating out of Poverty
The document summarizes research on irregular Ethiopian migrants to South Africa. It finds that financial and material success stories shared through social media and wedding videos stimulate migration dreams in Ethiopia despite risks. Interviews revealed dangerous smuggling journeys and poor treatment in South Africa due to xenophobia. While technology connects migrants to home, physical separation remains. The research implies migration will continue due to pulls and pushes despite risks, and cracking down on smugglers may worsen the situation rather than addressing root causes. Managing dreams and expanding legal migration options could help address the issue.
This document summarizes trends in international labor migration and refugee movements in Asia and the Pacific region over recent decades. It notes the massive scale of migration driven by economic development, infrastructure projects, and political conflicts. Key points include the growth of contract worker programs, blurring of economic migration and refugee status, rise of an "immigration industry" including human traffickers, and the important role of social networks in facilitating continued movement between countries. Nation states face challenges in managing these population flows.
The document outlines a student project proposal to create an audio installation highlighting the stories of homeless people. It will involve telephones hanging from the ceiling that play prerecorded audio stories when picked up. The student has researched the causes and experiences of homelessness. They analyzed precedents and developed the technical requirements, budget, and workflow for the project. The goal is to bring awareness to the challenges faced by the homeless and their need for human connection through communication.
Fighting Female Genital Mutilation with Maps - Rhobi Samwelly talks at Missin...Janet Chapman
FGM survivor and activist tells how maps are helping activists like herself better find and protect girls at risk in Mara, Tanzania, particularly during the cutting season. She also talks about the particular challenges faced by female mappers, and her recent talk at the United Nations General Assembly and the FGM mapathon held at UNFPA and in 60 countries worldwide
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Rapid developments in mobile technology have increased access to the internet through mobile devices. This document discusses how mobile phone usage has increased in Asia, with cell phone penetration outpacing computer ownership. It also explores how culture influences how mobile media is perceived and used, such as frequent texting in the Philippines to stay socially connected, and less phone calls in Japan. The implications of increased mobile access include greater participatory journalism, economic growth through new mobile services, and a shift to cultural production.
Rapid developments in mobile technology have increased access to the internet through mobile devices. This document discusses how mobile phone usage has increased in Asia, with cell phone penetration outpacing computer ownership. It explores the implications of increased mobile access, including a rise in participatory journalism, economic growth through new mobile services, and a shift to cultural production. The role of culture in shaping mobile media use is also examined, with different patterns of texting, calling and app usage emerging across regions.
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The document discusses the use of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil war since 1998 over control of valuable resources like minerals used in electronics. The armed groups that use child soldiers make money by controlling mines or taxing miners. The high demand for tantalum used in electronics contributes to the use of child soldiers, as more children are forced to take over territory and collect payments to supply the mines. An estimated 30,000 child soldiers, some as young as 9, including 1/3 girls, are used in the conflict. The Enough Project works to end child labor and soldiers in Congo through social media campaigns to educate and put pressure on companies to stop sourcing "conflict minerals" that fund armed groups.
This document summarizes a presentation about research on LGBT youth of color and their use of mobile technology. It discusses two studies, one quantitative and one qualitative, with LGBT youth in NYC. The key findings are:
1) For LGBT homeless youth, mobile technology provides economic and social benefits like applying for jobs, staying connected to friends and family, and accessing mental health support through music and communication.
2) LGBT youth, especially homeless youth, use mobile technology to avoid police harassment and misconduct by resisting contact with police or reporting issues.
3) Researchers suggest concepts like the "digital divide" are outdated and mobile technology has become integrated into everyday life and a basic human right, especially regarding health access and interventions.
This document provides an overview of human trafficking in Japan, including:
1) Historical and cultural factors that contributed to the development of the sex industry.
2) The current trafficking situation in Japan, where victims are primarily women from East and Southeast Asia exploited sexually or migrant workers exploited for labor.
3) International criticism of Japan's response to trafficking, with the country still ranked as Tier 2 by the US State Department for failing to meet anti-trafficking standards.
This document summarizes Rhacel Salazar Parreñas' book "Illicit Flirtations: Labor, Migration and Sex Trafficking in Tokyo". The book is based on ethnographic research in a Tokyo hostess club, where the author observed 56 Filipina hostesses, including 45 women and 11 transgender individuals. It documents their experiences as labor migrants and challenges the understanding of human trafficking by arguing that while the hostesses face severe structural constraints, they are not trafficked but legal migrant workers susceptible to trafficking. The book provides a nuanced examination of how the hostesses navigate strict regulations and norms within the club system through "indentured mobility", occupying a middle zone between trafficking and labor migration. It also explores
The document discusses migration trends, human trafficking, and responses to irregular migration. It notes that Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, and Ethiopia host the most refugees globally. In 2015, over 1.2 million asylum claims were made in the EU, more than double 2014 levels. The document also examines cases of Nigerian women trafficked to Italy for sexual exploitation and Egyptian unaccompanied children migrating irregularly. It proposes that counter-trafficking be integrated into emergency response from the outset and considers life-saving protection for vulnerable populations in crisis situations.
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This document summarizes the results of a human trafficking awareness survey conducted in South Africa. Key findings include:
- While most respondents correctly identified South Africa as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking, many believed it is mainly a transit country.
- Respondents were unaware that most trafficking victims in South Africa are South African citizens.
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The survey highlights gaps in public understanding of who is vulnerable to trafficking and what forms it takes. It also includes personal stories from students to educate others about the realities of human trafficking.
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The one-day event brought together scholars, practitioners and activists to share learning and exchange ideas on the range of migrant technologies research being conducted across Asia and explore future collaborative approaches.
The key theme addressed at the event was how the use of mobile technologies adds layers of freedoms and unfreedoms to migration.
Speakers of the day include:
Introduction and Welcome: Michael Best, Director of UNU-CS
Opening Remarks: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
Morning Panel: Emerging themes in Migrant Technology research
- Chair: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
- Jack Qiu, Chinese University of Hong Kong - Freedom, Slavery, and Working-Class ICTs: Learning from Chinese Migrant Workers in Foxconn
- Nikos Dacanay, Chiang Mai University - ICT usage and how ethnic migrant women in northern Thailand indigenize/mediate human rights’ discourse of gender equality
- Odalia Wong, Baptist University of Hong Kong - Transnational Mothers and Mobile Phone Usage: The Case of the Filipino Female Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
- Discussant: Rhodora A. Abano, Centre for Migrant Advocacy in Philippines
Afternoon Panel: New Migrant Technologies
- Chair: Tony Roberts, UNU-CS
- Kayoko Ueno, University of Tokushima - Facebook Activism and Networking among Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore
- Jude Yew, National University of Singapore - Pemca: A proposed mobile platform for crowdsourcing the reporting and visualization of migrant worker injuries/deaths
- Kakit Cheong, National University of Singapore - Kwento: Designing a family storytelling mobile application for domestic helpers
- Discussant: Fish Ip, International Domestic Workers Federation
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The document discusses self-presentation and impression management online. It establishes that an individual's online identity is made up of their interactions across different websites and social media platforms, which can show partial and different representations of themselves. The document also notes that as of 2021, over 4 billion people access the internet via mobile devices worldwide and Filipinos in particular spend around 4 hours per day on social media. It discusses strategies for self-presentation like ingratiation, exemplification, and intimidation aimed at managing how others perceive them. The document also touches on issues like online disinhibition and its risks, as well as tips for managing one's online behavior and interactions.
The document summarizes the findings of a survey on the situation of youth and children in Kibera, Kenya. It finds that the majority of respondents were young adults between 19-25 years old, with 20% between 15-18 years old. Most youth have lived in Kibera for many years, with 40% born there and 18% living there for over 10 years. The survey aims to describe living conditions for youth, compare findings to a previous 2001 survey, and provide context for a project analyzing child advocacy in Kenya. It finds that youth in Kibera face challenges like unemployment, poor housing, high crime rates, and inadequate education facilities.
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This document summarizes trends in international labor migration and refugee movements in Asia and the Pacific region over recent decades. It notes the massive scale of migration driven by economic development, infrastructure projects, and political conflicts. Key points include the growth of contract worker programs, blurring of economic migration and refugee status, rise of an "immigration industry" including human traffickers, and the important role of social networks in facilitating continued movement between countries. Nation states face challenges in managing these population flows.
The document outlines a student project proposal to create an audio installation highlighting the stories of homeless people. It will involve telephones hanging from the ceiling that play prerecorded audio stories when picked up. The student has researched the causes and experiences of homelessness. They analyzed precedents and developed the technical requirements, budget, and workflow for the project. The goal is to bring awareness to the challenges faced by the homeless and their need for human connection through communication.
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FGM survivor and activist tells how maps are helping activists like herself better find and protect girls at risk in Mara, Tanzania, particularly during the cutting season. She also talks about the particular challenges faced by female mappers, and her recent talk at the United Nations General Assembly and the FGM mapathon held at UNFPA and in 60 countries worldwide
Similar to The Flip: Mobile use among North Korean women during their journey to South Korea (20)
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The Flip: Mobile use among North Korean women during their journey to South Korea
1. The Flip
mobile communications of
North Korean women
during their journey to South Korea
Juhee Kang (United Nations University on Computing and Society)
Richard Ling (Nanyang Technological University)
Arul Chib (Nanyang Technological University)
ICA 2018 Prague
3. Divergence of two Koreas
Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea (DPRK)
Republic of Korea (ROK)
25.4 million Population 51.3 million
Totalitarian single party state under the
Kim family & Juche ideology
Political
Presidential republic
Democratic capitalism
$1300 (estimate) GDP per capita $27,500
195th HDI rank 18th
3/100 (180th)
Freedom Score
(Press freedom)
82/100 (63th)
13 (3.2m)
Mobile users per
100 inhabitants
120 (58.9 m)
?? (less than 1%) % Internet users 92.8%
28th Suicide ranking 10th (top in OECD)
Source: World Bank, UNDP, CIA, Freedom House, Reporters without Borders ITU, WHO
4. North Korean women in South Korea
• About 31,000 settled in South Korea
• Feminization of NK migrants since 2005
Migrants
Agents
Women
ICT Users
Transposed from a totalitarian socialist society
to a highly competitive capitalist society
Switched their structures in the search for a better life
Living in the two changing patriarchic societies
From the most digitally-oppressed society
to the most digitally-oriented society
Research Context: The Flip
5. “Journey” through the flip
• Migration as a process, a journey
• Following their experiences, foregrounding their voices and diverse agency
6. “Mobile” in the journey through the flip
• Mobile as a lens to understand their experience of
the structural flip
• Mobile becoming a part of the social structure
(Campbell, 2014; Ling, 2008; 2017)
o Individual addressability, micro-coordination, etc.
o Shifting from “Nice to have” to “Must have”
o You are a problem if you don’t have a phone (Katz, 2017)
• ICT/mobile for empowering migrants
(Chib et al., 2013; Madianou & Miller, 2013)
• Disempowering effects: autonomy of use
(Norwegian teens, Ling 2000; South Korean teens, Yoon, 2006; Singaporean
maids, Thomas & Lim, 2009; knowledge workers, mazmanian et al, 2013;
hospital workers, Stephens et al, 2017)
7. About the study
Research Question
• How do mobile phones play into the transitional experiences of North
Korean women during their journey from North Korea to South Korea?
Interview with 20 NK women living in South Korea (Aug – Dec 2016)
Following up interviews and observation at the IT class for NK residents
Almost all from Northern Province (borderlands);
Age between 24 – 58; left NK between 1995 – 2015
8. “My husband crossed the
border first and gave his
(Chinese) mobile phone
to me. I was afraid of the
police searching my
house so I buried the
phone in the ground.
Then, I would turn it on
only when I needed to
use it. It was a
dangerous situation.”
• Limited Access
o Domestic mobile phones are increasing
(conspicuous ownership: “for showing, not for using”)
o Internet/International calls are illegal
o Borderlanders used smuggled Chinese phone to call
outside or phone brokers
• Fraught Use of Chinese Mobiles
o Fraught with fear and danger
o Going up in the mountain
o Encrypted, broken conversation
o Risky and long travel to get the signal
mobile use in North Korea
9. mobile during the crossing
“Mobile phone was very
useful during the escape. I
contacted my relative to set
up a date and place where
the border guard will
overlook my escape. I used it
until I crossed the border to
contact the broker and set up
the meeting points.”
• Mobile plays a critical role in preparing
the escape
o to communicate with family outside
o to coordinate the journey (broker,
payment, meeting points, etc.)
• Risk of getting caught vs. agency to
find a better life
o Long risky journey to use mobile to call
o Desire for better life beyond the border
outweighs the risk
10. trafficked for forced marriage
“I saved money and bought
a mobile phone. I used it
when I was running away to
contact the broker. I had
been caught twice, so I knew
I couldn’t take a bus... He
picked me up and got me
out.”
• Restricted use of mobile after trafficking
o Increasing trafficking for forced marriage in
rural China demanding cheap caseworkers
o Many are allured by short-term job in China;
some are voluntary or forced to be voluntary
(e.g. to support family; to survive)
o Mobile use during the trafficking was
restricted (language, know no number to call)
• Critical facilitator for escaping
o mobile not a sufficient condition but a critical
facilitator (aspiration to escape; number to
call for help)
11. survival in South Korea
• Rapid transition to mobile-oriented life
o Feeling: “stepped out of a time machine”
o Granted access to smartphone (first thing to
buy at local Hana Center)
o Self-doubt: “When would I be able to use that
kind of thing?”
o Low difficulty in learning (except English
loanwords)
o Pressured to use mobile phone for survival
(bus, navigation, text than calls)
“In South Korea,
everything is done by
mobile phones and
computers…we need to
learn to use mobile
phones to survive here.”
12. “Katzian Flip”
Mobile in the North Mobile in the South
• Restricted access
You are a problem if you have a phone
• Mobile use is fraught with danger and
fear (e.g. hiding, encrypting, short calls)
• Plays a critically instrumental role
for a life-changing escape NK; rescued
from trafficking
• Granted/Required Access
You are a problem if you don’t have a phone
• Mobile use is ingrained into structure and
assumed in the social sphere (e.g. NK
women learns to use mobile for survival)
• Free but less instrumental use
Using mobile for survival
13. Implications
• Delivering small people’s unheard stories going through the structural
tragedy
• Individuals exercising agency through two contrasting use contexts
• Mobile use being restricted, risky and dangerous
• Mobile use for survival, conforming to social norms
• Autonomy of using or not using is heavily restricted
• Comm Scholars: How these women’s use of mobile free and autonomous
in North and South Korea? How much autonomy do we have?
• Policy: Are South Korea ready to receive these migrants in a bigger scale?
14. Related work in progress
• North Korean women’s identity management via online anonymity to
cope with discrimination in South Korea
• North Korean women migrants’ negotiated restricted agency
expressed in their use of mobile throughout two patriarchic societies
in Korea
16. Defining North Koreans in the South
• Witteborn (2011) Social Labeling of migrants
• Controversial labeling of North Koreans escaped from North Korea
• Migrants: those who exercised their agency to move their places and are in the process of settling
Defectors
Refugees
SK Citizens
Tal-buk-ja
(脫北者)
Heroes, Returned
Brethrens,
News Settlers,
NK residents
outside NK
17. North Koreans in South Korea
• Total 31,339 settled in South Korea (Dec 2017)
o Mostly women (71%) in 20-40s (75%) from North-eastern provinces (76%) with high school
education (70%)
• Feminization of NK migrants since 2005
o relatively loose control; increased roles as breadwinners
• In SK, 55% employed; 25% on welfare cash aid
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
~1998
~2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Male
Female
Children
(4%)
Teens
(11%)
20s
(29%)
30s
(29%)
40s
(17%)
50s
(6%)
60s+
(4%)
Source: The Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea, 2017
Editor's Notes
Regardless of Trump canceling the Singapore summit, on April 27, the world has observed the two leaders of Korea have met on the border that divided the Korean peninsula for the last 65 years. They met, shook hands and crossed the border together twice – up and down. As one Korean journalist puts, their action on that day made the border nothing but a simple line on the ground. However, the border means everything to many Koreans, especially for those separated families who could not see each other almost for life, and for those more 100,000 people who risked their life to cross the border, as in the case of North Korean women that we will show in our study.
In the last 65 years of separation, two Koreas have evolved into two very different, even contrasting societies. I’m not going through all the statistics but as you see, they also have a very different communication environment.
We focus on North Korean women who managed to settle down in South Korea. Currently, there are about 31,000 people and, surprisingly, 70% of them are women. We study them because first, they are “migrants” who transposed themselves from a totalitarian socialist society to a highly competitive capitalist society. They are also “agents” who actively switched their structures in the search for a better life. And they are “women” who experienced two changing patriarchic societies. Finally, for communications researchers like us, they bring up an interesting case that they are the ICT users who came from the most digitally-oppressed society to the most digitally-oriented society.
We frame these research contexts as “the flip”.
We also follow their migratory experiences as a “process”, more like a journey. In migration studies, there are many studies looking at their departure (like why they migrate) or their arrival (like how they acculturate in a host society). However, there’s a shortage of studies examining the holistic picture of migration as a continuing process of changes and resistance. We want to follow their journey, foregrounding their voices and diverse agencies exercised in the transition.
This diagram is the reconstructed journey from our interviews. I’m not going into the details. These are well-documented in many journalists’ reports which are not our focus of the study.
Lastly, we focus on their use of mobile phone. Why? Because we believe mobile is a great lens to understand what they experienced, how they perceive and position themselves within the structure. These days, mobile is increasingly ingrained into our everyday life, almost becoming a part of the structure. Its position has been changed from a ‘nice to have’ gadget to a ‘must have’ item. To paraphrase James Katz, these days, “you are a problem if you don’t have a phone”.
At the same time, there are growing literature analyzing how mobile phones are empowering migrants or refugees. However, some studies suggest having mobile is not always positive and it can be disempowering. Sometime, mobiles are used as a means of control especially for those who have less autonomy of use mobile like Korean/Norwegian teenagers under the parent control or Singaporean maids tightly managed by the boss.
Based on these literature, we ask the role of mobile phones during their journey through the flip. We interviewed 20 North Korean women living in South Korea and did some follow-up interviews and an observation at the IT class offered for NK migrants by South Korean government. Our participants are all from Northern provinces bordering China, they are mostly in their late 20s-40s. the time of their departure varies but mostly around 2009.
Information about North Korea is quite restricted, but we know that they have their own domestic mobile services with 3G networks and smartphones manufactured in North Korea. Phones are increasingly popular in urban cities and becoming a symbol of conspicuous consumption. But the internet is not available and international calls are strictly illegal. Because our participants are mostly from rural areas, they didn’t have access to such phones.
Instead they could receive Chinese mobile signals using a smuggled Chinese phone or phone brokers who lend their phones for certain fee. They used these Chinese mobile phones to call their families outside and it was fraught with fear and danger. As you can see from the quote, they buried their phone, went up in the mountain for an hour, went into an empty building with no electricity and covered their phone under the blanket to avoid the local surveillance. Those who didn’t get a Chinese signal, had to travel 4-5 hours with the brokers in secret as they didn’t have a permit to travel within North Korea. They also encrypted their conversations by not to mention names, certain words. They also made their calls short as 2-3 mins to avoid tapping.
Despite the danger, their agency to seek for alternative life outside North Korea was stronger than the risk, and mobile phones played a critical role helping their escape. Our participants used the phone for calling their family members in South Korea, contacting the brokers(human smugglers), micro-coordinating the meeting points and arranging the payment. However, once they crossed the border, the brokers usually didn’t allow them to have phones – which is quite different from Syrian or Iraqi refugees who used smartphones as a lifeguard almost as important as food or water.
Quite surprisingly, six out of the 20 interviewees were trafficked as a wife for rural Chinese men and then they escaped. Due to the 30 yearlong one child policy in China and the cultural preferences on boys over girls, many poor and uneducated men in rural areas cannot find wives easily. We say it’s a forced ‘marriage’, but in fact these men are actually looking for women who is also a housekeeper, child-bearer, caretaker for their elders and a subsistence farm worker.
Some of them used a mobile phone to escape from the trafficked situation. One woman negotiated with her husband for long to get a secondhand phone; the other saved money secretly to buy her phone. Then, they used to call the brokers or relatives as in the quote here. Clearly, mobile phone plays a critically instrumental role as a facilitator of their escape.
But we should also note that mobile phone itself was not a sufficient condition. In this hopeless and impoverished situation, what she needed first was “the idea she can escape” or “motivation she wants to escape” and most importantly the “number to call for help”. When these other conditions were met, the mobile phone played a crucial role to change their life.
When they arrive in South Korea, they go through a six-month long resettlement program organized by the South Korean government. This transition is so rapid and confusing as one of our participant says she felt like ‘stepped out of a time machine and traveled to the future’. Getting a mobile phone is one of the first thing they do as local social workers help them get a new phone. However, some participants, especially older, felt inadequacy and self-doubt. One participant wasn’t sure if she could use such a nice thing as smartphone, so she instead chose a flip phone and waited until her husband to come and help her get a smartphone. Interestingly, many people find learning to use mobile phone was not difficult and they picked it up by themselves..
However, what was difficult was learning to use mobile in their everyday tasks and adjusting to the mobile-based south Korean culture. They were pressured to use mobile not to get lost in the city, to get the news and job info, to reach out their colleagues or friends. In South Korea, mobile became an essential channel that they can engage with the society, without much choices of not using. Ownership, use and constant engagement over mobile was the given social contexts they must comply with for survival.
In sum, referring to Katz, we call this as ‘Katzian flip’ describing this contrasting mobile use contexts. To a lesser degree, we’ve all experienced this transition over a long time period. And some migrants from developing countries to the developed world also experience something similar. I also live in a Macau where the border to mainland China is so near and the communication context is flipped with no google map, no facebook or twitter. Across the flip, mobile use is never free and autonomous and is constrained by the given social structure
In this study, we first document these unheard voices of people who has been through the structural tragedy. We present the case with two contrasting mobile use contexts but their autonomy of using or not using is situated within the given contexts.
This is one of the three studies we are working on and is currently under review of IJOC. Two other papers are also on the way so please stay tuned. Thank you for your attention.